The Ideal Guide to parkrun

'A brilliant emotive book which spreads the joy and love of parkrun'
Dame Kelly Holmes

'Wonderful' – Lisa Jackson, Runner's World

Perfect for any parkrunner, or wannabe parkrunner, this concise and joyful book reveals how a Saturday 5km run in the park has become a global phenomenon.

The Ultimate Guide to parkrun (always with a lower case p!) covers how parkrun started, how it is staged every week, how to get involved as a runner, walker, or volunteer – and even how to start your own run.

Written by a running writer and qualified athletics coach, this celebratory book goes behind the scenes to tell the heartwarming human stories behind parkrun. But it also brims with practical information, with training plans for different types of runners so that you can (if you wish to) improve your own finishing time.

Published to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the founding of the mass participation event in Autumn 2024, the book delves into parkrun’s origins as the brainchild of Paul Sinton-Hewitt, an unemployed man in London. Just 13 runners competed in the first Bushy Park Time Trial on 2 October 2004.

Now parkrun has more than 9 million registered runners at more than 2,200 parks in 23 countries, with the most popular countries being the UK, Australia, and South Africa.

The book features all aspects of parkrun, including how public-spirited volunteers put on the event, sustainably and for free, every week, and fun boxes such as the most interesting courses around the world, from Poland to the Falkland Islands.

If you want to know more about parkrun tourism, how to complete the A-Z Alphabet challenge, and other parkrun milestones, this book is for you. It also includes lists of the five fastest and five slowest parkruns in the UK as well as the top 10 parkruns in the UK and the top 10 parkruns in the world.

It also delves into junior parkrun and other less well-known facets of the world's most popular community running event.

In short, this is the ideal present for anyone looking for a parkrun book, parkrun merchandise or parkrun gift. Whether you are starting your parkrun journey, about to complete your 100th or 200th parkrun milestone, you will have plenty to discover in this comprehensive guide.

It is the perfect parkrun present, for yourself and others!

'With 224 fact-packed pages, beautifully illustrated with 150 photographs, this is not just any guide to parkrun as it says on the cover – it is the ultimate guide to parkrun. As a former sub-20-minute participant with 171 runs and 111 volunteer credits, I thought I knew everything about the Saturday morning 5K ritual. However, having read Lucy Waterlow’s brilliant book, my eyes have been opened.' – Alan Newman, Run ABC Scotland

'Several years ago, I read a book about parkrun and that was dry and technical, that is not how I know parkrun; it is wonderful and joyous. I am pleased to say my fears were unfounded. Lucy Waterlow, the author, is a professional writer, a keen runner and a massive fan of parkrun. Lucy understands parkrun and the unique place it has in the running community, both in the UK and throughout the world.' Edward, Trail Running Man

About the Author

Lucy Waterlow is a journalist, ghostwriter and author who has contributed to national newspapers and specialist publications such as Runner’s World and Women’s Running.

She is a keen amateur runner and a qualified England Athletics coach in running fitness. She is co-author of Nell McAndrew's Guide To Running and Run Mummy Run: Inspiring Women to be Fit, Healthy and Happy.

She loves parkrun and regularly takes part in her local parkrun. She has drawn up training plans in the book for completing a 5k below 30 minutes, 25 minutes and 20 minutes.